Exactly when he will join his new club is still under negotiation. Racing Metro want him to link up with them after the series against the British & Irish Lions, but the likelihood is that he will play out the Tri Nations and, possibly, the Currie Cup with reigning champions The Sharks.

"He is certainly not turning his back on SA rugby. Another reason is that he is very young and has a long career ahead of him," explained Steyn's agent, Gerrie Swart.

"Andrews Mehrtens will also be there and he is a good teacher for any guy who wants to play for a long time."

Swart also pointed to the pressure which Steyn had come under since making his Springbok debut in 2006 while still a teenager.

"You don't realise what kind of pressure there is on a guy who was 19 and won his first World Cup with South Africa - on the field and especially off of the field. In France he will have an opportunity to be just another player," added Swart.

"We don't yet know when his contract will start. It has to be cleared with the Sharks and SA Rugby, but he is contracted to the Sharks until after the Currie Cup series and the move can't therefore be earlier than November 1."

Ryan Grant displayed some impressive singing skills while on tour with the British & Irish Lions. The full release of Lions Raw will be available on DVD and Blu-Ray from October 28th. Pre-order on Amazon.

This clip featuring Simon Zebo will whet your appetite ahead of the much anticipated release of 'Lions Raw', the official Behind the Scenes documentary of the successful 2013 Tour. Full release on October 28th and available on DVD and Blu-Ray.